SUPERPOWERS - AFRICA DAILY

War-torn Ukraine to test sweeping new ceasefire

Dec 08, 2014 (AFP)

Ukraine and pro-Russian insurgents prepared to put to the test a comprehensive truce on Tuesday aimed at calming an upsurge of violence that has further eroded ...

China condemns Philippines over disputed sea arbitration

Dec 07, 2014 (AFP)

China on Sunday slammed the Philippines for challenging its territorial claims over the South China Sea through international arbitration, refusing to back down...

US denies funding opposition to oust Sri Lanka leader

Dec 06, 2014 (AFP)

The United States embassy in Sri Lanka denied on Saturday it was "pumping money" into the country to topple President Mahinda Rajapakse after the allegations we...

Putin, Hollande in surprise Ukraine talks amid warship controversy

Dec 06, 2014 (AFP)

French President Francois Hollande will make an unscheduled stop in Moscow on Saturday to discuss the Ukraine crisis with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin...

China ex-security chief's fall cements Xi's grip on power

Dec 06, 2014 (AFP)

The Chinese Communist Party's decision to arrest and expel former security chief Zhou Yongkang is a bold step that demonstrates President Xi Jinping's determina...

Beijing defends Confucius Institutes amid US academic freedom debate

Dec 05, 2014 (AFP)

China on Friday defended its overseas Confucius Institutes, one day after a US congressman called for a probe into the language and cultural centres over concer...

Rights activists push Belarus KGB to reveal missing journalist's location

Dec 05, 2014 (AFP)

Rights activists on Friday urged Belarus's KGB security services to reveal the location of a well-known defence journalist who went missing more than a week ago...

Congressman seeks probe into China-US college ties

Dec 05, 2014 (AFP)

A senior member of Congress called Thursday for an investigation into deals that US universities are striking with China, amid fears that such tie-ups are compr...

Obama nominates Ashton Carter as Pentagon chief

Dec 05, 2014 (AFP)

President Barack Obama on Friday named Ashton Carter, a highly regarded technocrat, to lead the Pentagon as the US military embarks on the latest phase in its 1...

Obama to nominate Pentagon chief Friday

Dec 05, 2014 (AFP)

President Barack Obama on Friday will announce his choice to replace Chuck Hagel as Pentagon chief, the White House said. Favored for the post is Ashton Carter,...

Ukraine says Russians make up third of 30,000 rebel force

Dec 04, 2014 (AFP)

Ukraine's military said Thursday it was fighting more than 30,000 rebel soldiers in the east of the country -- including up to 10,000 Russians and mercenaries f...

Journalist missing in Minsk, feared detained

Dec 04, 2014 (AFP)

A Belarussian journalist who specialises in defence has been missing for several days, his colleagues said on Thursday, raising fears he has been detained by se...

NATO agrees to keep military channels open with Russia

Dec 03, 2014 (AFP)

NATO said Wednesday it will keep military channels of communication with Russia open to avoid any misunderstandings over military activity, as the Ukraine crisi...

China, Australia agree to boost defence ties: Xinhua

Dec 03, 2014 (AFP)

Beijing and Canberra have agreed to enhance military ties, Chinese state media reported, lauding defence relations between them even as Australia strengthens co...

NATO ministers boost support for Ukraine

Dec 02, 2014 (AFP)

NATO foreign ministers approved fresh support for Ukraine and condemned Russia Tuesday for backing pro-Moscow rebels as the alliance signed off on its new train...

Norwegian airforce films 'near miss' with Russian fighter jet

Dec 02, 2014 (AFP)

A Norwegian warplane had a "near miss" with a Russian fighter jet north of Norway, the Nordic nation's military said Tuesday after showing video of the incident...

NATO ministers to plot course on Ukraine, Afghanistan

Dec 02, 2014 (AFP)

NATO foreign ministers meet in Brussels on Tuesday to chart a course forward after a "year of aggression" from Ukraine to the Middle East and the end of the all...

Japan kicks off election campaign in 'Abenomics referendum'

Dec 02, 2014 (AFP)

Official campaigning kicked off in Japan on Tuesday ahead of a December 14 election that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has described as a referendum on his falterin...

Hong Kong students on hunger strike want government to talk

Dec 02, 2014 (AFP)

Hong Kong student leaders on hunger strike said Tuesday they want to force the government into further talks as the pro-democracy movement finds itself in crisi...

Splintered Hong Kong protests face 'final showdown': analysts

Dec 02, 2014 (AFP)

Hong Kong's pro-democracy occupation is entering its death throes with radical splinter groups pushing for more direct action but others urging retreat, analyst...